HIMSS19: ONC, CMS officials outline the framework for interoperability, the use of APIs, FHIR

With the release of several proposed rules on Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) outlined new provisions around advancing interoperability and giving patients easier access to their health data, signaling that open APIs and FHIR will be core components. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology finally unveiled its information blocking rule (PDF), which was sent to the Office of Management and Budget for review in September. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also released a proposed rule (PDF) on Monday morning, which also takes aim at data blocking. The agency is suggesting that Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare Advantage plans, and Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) be required to make enrollee data immediately accessible by 2020.